Wine

The next time you and your friends decide to meet for a glass of wine and some snacks, Starbucks wants to be on your list of potential destinations. The coffee giant, based in Seattle, is rolling out its new "Starbucks Evenings" menu in a handful of Chicago-area locations, right after initial test markets in its home base in the Pacific Northwest. The first Chicago spot at Sheffield Avenue and Diversey Parkway will hold its grand opening Friday. Two other spots in suburban Schaumburg and Burr Ridge opened earlier this summer and about four more evening menu locations are planned for the city by the end of...

EAT The Sunnyside of Lincoln - Holiday Edition Lincoln Avenue between Sunnyside and Wilson Avenues 773-271-6100 Celebrate the season in Lincoln Square with carolers from Porchlight Music Theatre and two seasonal dishes and two drinks - wine, beer or hot cocktails - at each of three restaurants: Bistro Campagne, The Grafton Pub & Grill and Due Lire Vino & Cucina. 6-9 p.m. $45. Tickets: brownpapertickets.com National Hamburger Day Stout Barrel House & Galley 642 N. Clark St. 312-475-1390 Honor this most American of meals with an off-the-menu Stoutastic Classic...

Rating: !! 1/2 (out of four) Take it or leave it The scene: This small but sleek wine bar features a handful of tables in its well-lit front half, with more seating available along the bar and a wall ledge toward the back. On a Monday night just a few weeks after opening, the bar was surprisingly buzzing around 9 p.m., with tables of 20-somethings and older couples sharing a bite to eat and lingering over rounds of wine. Big TVs behind the bar and unintimidating staff members eager to offer suggestions defy the stuffy wine-bar stereotype.

I don't need to tell you it's freezing outside, but I do need to remind you that if you're hibernating in your apartment without a bottle of wine in your Snuggie-covered lap, well, you're doing it wrong. As crockpots buzz to life, it's the time of year to curl up with an earthy, lush, bold or spicy red wine to drink with dinner - or just your favorite Netflix series. Whether you're shopping at a small wine boutique (see our list of new shops below) or grabbing a bottle from the grocery store, there's no reason to feel lost among the shelves.

*1/2 (out of four) We're all so busy, says master sommelier candidate Ian Cauble, “How often do you [stop] and smell something?” Um, there's a reason Ferris Bueller emphasized looking around, not smelling. Who wants more free time so they can appreciate the aroma of the bus? In “Somm,” Cauble--who later claims a wine “had tannins that ripped my face off”--and other wine aficionados study feverishly for a three-part exam that fewer than 200 people in the world have passed in the past 40-some years.

No boot for you. Chicago's Christkindlmarket revealed the 2013 mug that will hold hot gluhwein this year, and the souvenir cup isn't shaped like a boot. "Switching it up with the 2013 Souvenir Mug," the market wrote on their Facebook page Tuesday. "Like in past years, this year is a tall, thin 'flute' shape. " Not everyone is rejoicing, however. Since 2005, the mug wine drinkers get to keep at the German market has been shaped like a boot, except in 2008 when it was hat shaped. "Bring back the boot!"

(Hi. This is the part where I tell you that this post doesn't reflect the views of my employer and other things that I'm putting out into the ether just in case someone is offended.) You remember when your parents would have parties? Remember how your friend Ken's mom's voice would be on 10 when you were trying to sleep and then your dad would wake you up so you could do your crappy impression of ( insert whatever cartoon character was popular when you were 6 here) ? Now take that party, add like 500 people to it, and give them unfettered access to all the wine...

Looking for a new restaurant to work into your BYOB routine? A handful of new options have opened within the past few months, with the flavors ranging from Colombian to Thai to Italian. We tapped the ones who know best - the chefs and owners - to weigh in on what beer or wine would best complement the cuisine, plus share ideas about other spikeable drinks on the menu. Melao 3941 N. Lincoln Ave. 773-868-4501 Dish-and-drink combo: A medium-bodied cabernet would go well with this Colombian eatery's grilled churrasco strip steak ($14.95)

Ugly sweater parties, peppermint mochas and those slightly addicting holiday tunes creeping on the radio are all pretty good indicators that it's about time you started cracking on your holiday gift list. Regardless of where you're shopping this holiday season, one thing that is for sure is that you're going to work an appetite doing it. Friends don't let friends shop with low bloody sugar, so make time to stop and recharge at these bars and restaurants in five of the city's most popular shopping districts.

No boot for you. Chicago's Christkindlmarket revealed the 2013 mug that will hold hot gluhwein this year, and the souvenir cup isn't shaped like a boot. "Switching it up with the 2013 Souvenir Mug," the market wrote on their Facebook page Tuesday. "Like in past years, this year is a tall, thin 'flute' shape. " Not everyone is rejoicing, however. Since 2005, the mug wine drinkers get to keep at the German market has been shaped like a boot, except in 2008 when it was hat shaped. "Bring back the boot!"

*1/2 (out of four) We're all so busy, says master sommelier candidate Ian Cauble, “How often do you [stop] and smell something?” Um, there's a reason Ferris Bueller emphasized looking around, not smelling. Who wants more free time so they can appreciate the aroma of the bus? In “Somm,” Cauble--who later claims a wine “had tannins that ripped my face off”--and other wine aficionados study feverishly for a three-part exam that fewer than 200 people in the world have passed in the past 40-some years.

During the summer, I like to be ready for all sorts of spontaneous weekend hangouts. I wear biking-appropriate footwear, always pack an umbrella, and - humble brag - I'm sort of a master of transporting booze to Millennium Park 's Downtown Sound concerts. Normally, beer growlers or six-packs are my go-to, but recently, portable wine packages have caught my eye. They're glass-free, so there's no need to worry about them breaking in my purse or backpack, and since they don't require a corkscrew, they're easy to bring to parties and picnics.

Not everyone has been on a great date, but we've all definitely been on bad ones. This is a story about one of those dates. I met this guy through a good friend and we went out a few times. I liked him, which was rare for me, because I'm super picky. Anyway, I lost a bet we made on a Cubs series, so I had to plan the next date. I decided to take him to this charity event with the Cubs, since he was a fan. It was a casino night (fun) and an open bar (even more fun). So we get all dressed up and go, and it's a blast.